The present invention relates to an airfoil for a bucket of a stage of a gas turbine and particularly relates to a first stage turbine bucket airfoil profile.
Many system requirements must be met for each stage of the hot gas path section of a gas turbine in order to meet design goals including overall improved efficiency and airfoil loading. Particularly, the buckets of the first stage of the turbine section must meet the operating requirements for that particular stage and also be capable of efficient manufacture.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a unique airfoil shape for a bucket of a gas turbine, preferably the first stage bucket, that enhances the performance of the gas turbine. The airfoil shape hereof improves the interaction between various stages of the turbine, affords improved aerodynamic efficiency and improved first stage airfoil aerodynamic and mechanical loading. The bucket airfoil profile is defined by a unique loci of points to achieve the necessary efficiency and loading requirements whereby improved turbine performance is obtained. These unique loci of points define the nominal airfoil profile and are identified by the X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinates of Table I which follows. The 3600 points for the coordinate values shown in Table I are relative to the turbine centerline and for a cold, i.e., room temperature bucket at various cross-sections of the bucket airfoil along its length. The positive X, Y and Z directions are axial toward the exhaust end of the turbine, tangential in the direction of engine rotation and radially outwardly toward the bucket tip, respectively. The X and Y coordinates are given in distance dimensions, e.g., units of inches, and are joined smoothly at each Z location to form a smooth continuous airfoil cross-section. The Z coordinates are given in non-dimensionalized form from 0 to 1. By multiplying the airfoil height dimension, e.g., in inches, by the non-dimensional Z value of Table I, the airfoil shape, i.e., the profile, of the bucket is obtained. Each defined airfoil section in the X, Y plane is joined smoothly with adjacent airfoil sections in the Z direction to form the complete airfoil shape.
It will be appreciated that as each bucket airfoil heats up in use, the profile will change as a result of mechanical loading and temperature. Thus, the cold or room temperature profile is given by the X, Y and Z coordinates for manufacturing purposes. Because a manufactured bucket airfoil profile may be different from the nominal airfoil profile given by the following table, a distance of plus or minus 0.040 inches from the nominal profile in a direction normal to any surface location along the nominal profile and which includes any coating process, defines a profile envelope for this bucket airfoil. The airfoil shape is robust to this variation without impairment of the mechanical and aerodynamic functions of the bucket.
It will also be appreciated that the airfoil can be scaled up or scaled down geometrically for introduction into similar turbine designs. Consequently, the X and Y coordinates in inches and the non-dimensional Z coordinates, when converted to inches, of the nominal airfoil profile given below may be a function of the same constant or number. That is, the X, Y and Z coordinate values in inches may be multiplied or divided by the same constant or number to provide a scaled up or scaled down version of the bucket airfoil profile while retaining the airfoil section shape.
In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a turbine bucket including a bucket airfoil having an airfoil shape, the airfoil having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I wherein the Z values are non-dimensional values from 0 to 1 convertible to Z distances in inches by multiplying the Z values by a height of the airfoil in inches, and wherein X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z, the profile sections at the Z distances being joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a turbine bucket including a bucket airfoil having an uncoated nominal airfoil profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I wherein the Z values are non-dimensional values from 0 to 1 convertible to Z distances in inches by multiplying the Z values by a height of the airfoil in inches, and wherein X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each Z distance, the profile sections at the Z distances being joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape, the X, Y and Z distances being scalable as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled-up or scaled-down airfoil.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a turbine comprising a turbine wheel having a plurality of buckets, each of the buckets including an airfoil having an airfoil shape, the airfoil having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I wherein the Z values are non-dimensional values from 0 to 1 convertible to Z distances in inches by multiplying the Z values by a height of the airfoil in inches, and wherein X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define the airfoil profile sections at each distance Z, the profile sections at the Z distances being joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
In a Preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a turbine comprising a turbine wheel having a plurality of buckets, each of the buckets including an airfoil having an uncoated nominal airfoil profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I wherein the Z values are non-dimensional values from 0 to 1 convertible to Z distances in inches by multiplying the Z values by a height of the airfoil in inches, and wherein X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z, the profile sections at the Z distances being joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape, the X, Y and Z distances being scalable as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled-up or scaled-down bucket airfoil.